by Jin Yong
Huang Yaoshi pressed something on the side of the table and a landscape painting on the west wall slowly rose, revealing a secret compartment behind it. He walked towards the wall, opened up the door to the compartment and took out a roll of paper. He gently ran his fingers on the scroll several times before he faced Ouyang Ke and said, “This is the map of Peach Blossom Island, complete with all the five elements variations, the yin and yang elements and the eight-trigram changes; everything is there. Take this and study it thoroughly.”
Ouyang Ke was disappointed; he was hoping he could stay on Peach Blossom Island for a while. He did not expect that Huang Yaoshi would only give him a map to look at. He knew it would be a difficult topic to learn; since he did not have a choice, he bowed respectfully and stepped forward to take the scroll from his hand.
“Hold on!” Huang Yaoshi suddenly said. Ouyang Ke was startled, he pulled his hand back. “When you take this drawing, I want you to go to Lin’an and find an inn or a temple to stay in. After three months I will send someone to retrieve it. You can memorize everything on the map; but I forbid you to make any copies,” Huang Yaoshi continued.
Ouyang Ke thought, “You won’t allow me to stay on Peach Blossom Island; it’s just as well since I don’t care much about your weird skills anyway. For the next three months I will be responsible for this chart. If I’m not careful I might lose or damage it; then what would I do? No, I’d better not take it!” He was going to say some nice words to decline the offer when suddenly another thought came into his mind, “He said he is going to send someone to retrieve it; that someone must be his daughter. That will be a great opportunity to get intimate with her.” He was delighted with this thought and immediately held out his hand to receive the scroll while uttering some grateful words.
Huang Rong took the small box with the dragon pill and gave it back to Ouyang Feng. “Uncle Ouyang,” she said, “This is your poison antidote pill; your niece does not dare to accept it.”
Ouyang Feng thought, “If this thing fell into the Old Heretic Huang’s hands, he will be impervious to my poisons. Although taking it back again seems so petty, I can’t afford to let him have it.” Therefore, he held out his hand to take the pill and immediately raised his hands to say goodbye to Huang Yaoshi.
Huang Yaoshi did not hold him back and sent them on their way. Walking to the door Hong Qigong said, “Poison Brother [Du Xiong], our Sword Meet on Mount Hua is at the end of next. You have to conserve your energy well since we are going to have a very tight competition.”
Ouyang Feng simply smiled casually, “The way I see it, we needn’t waste our energy fighting. The title ‘the world’s number one martial artist’ has already been decided.”
Hong Qigong was taken aback, “Already been decided? Could it be that Du Xiong has mastered a matchless and unique skill?”
Ouyang Feng showed a faint smile, “With such mediocre skills, how would Ouyang Feng dare to covet the title ‘the world’s number one martial artist’? I am talking about the person who taught our Nephew Guo.”
Hong Qigong laughed, “Are you talking about the Old Beggar?” he said, “I’d like that, but Brother Yao’s martial arts improve daily. For you, Poison Brother, advancing years also mean advancing skills. I am afraid Emperor Duan’s martial arts skill is not getting weaker either. I don’t think the Old Beggar will have any advantage.”
Ouyang Feng coldly said, “Of the people who taught Nephew Guo, it’s not necessarily Brother Qi’s martial arts that were the finest.”
“What?” Hong Qigong had barely closed his mouth when Huang Yaoshi interrupted, “Uh, are you talking about the Old Urchin Zhou Botong?”
“That’s right!” Ouyang Feng replied, “Since the Old Urchin has mastered the ‘Nine Yin Manual’, then all of us: the Eastern Heretic, Western Poison, Southern Emperor and Northern Beggar, are no longer his match.”
“That is not necessarily true,” Huang Yaoshi said, “A manual is dead, but martial arts are alive.”
Ouyang Feng noticed earlier that Huang Yaoshi had diverted his question and he did not let Guo Jing tell them Zhou Botong’s whereabouts. He knew something was amiss; so he decided to mention it again just before he left. Hearing what Huang Yaoshi said, he knew his suspicions were not unsubstantiated; but he was crafty, so his face did not show any change. Nonchalantly he said, “We all know the quality of the Quanzhen Sect’s martial arts; we even need to ask for their advice. Now that the Old Urchin has added the skills of the ‘Nine Yin Manual’ to that, even if Wang Chongyang were alive, I doubt even he would be his match, no need to mention us. Ay! The Quanzhen are very good; even if the three of us worked hard for a lifetime, we are still a notch below them.”
“The Old Urchin’s martial arts are a lot better than mine,” Huang Yaoshi said, “But it has not reached Brother Feng or Brother Qi’s level. I know this for a fact.”
“Brother Yao does not need to be modest,” Ouyang Feng said, “You and I are ‘ban jin ba liang’ [lit. half a ‘jin’ to eight ‘liang’ = comparable or equal]. You have said yourself that Zhou Botong’s martial arts are not as good as yours. However, I am afraid .” He shook his head.
“Brother Feng will find out next year at the Sword Meet on Mount Hua,” Huang Yaoshi smiled.
Ouyang Feng was serious, “Brother Yao, I usually respect your martial arts, but I doubted it when you said you can defeat the Old Urchin. When it comes to him, you’d better watch out.”
It was not that Huang Yaoshi did not know that he was being provoked, but he was a proud man, so of course he did not want anyone to belittle him. Seething with indignation he said, “The Old Urchin is actually on Peach Blossom Island. Brother has imprisoned him here for fifteen years.”
Ouyang Feng and Hong Qigong were dumbstruck. Hong Qigong simply raised his eyebrows, but Ouyang Feng actually broke out laughing, “Brother Yao.. .that is a very good joke!”
Huang Yaoshi did not say anything but pointed his finger as if showing the way; then he exerted strength to his feet and flew back to the bamboo groove. Hong Qigong followed with his left hand holding Guo Jing’s arm, his right hand Huang Rong’s. Ouyang Feng took Ouyang Ke’s arm and together they used their lightness kungfu. Not too long afterwards they arrived in front of Zhou Botong’s cave.
When they were still quite a distance away Huang Yaoshi noticed that the cave was empty. “Ah!” he uttered in surprise. With his body as light as a feather, he leaped up into the sky and after several jumps he arrived at the cave’s mouth. His left foot landed first, only to feel as if he’d stepped on an empty space. Even encountering this situation suddenly, he did not panic; he kicked his right foot into the air and jumped vertically. Again he landed gently with his left foot, but again felt he was stepping onto empty air. This time he was not able to use anything as a stepping stone, so with the backward flick of his hand he pulled the jade flute from his belt and in one fluid motion struck the cave wall with the flute. With one push his body flew out of the cave like an arrow.
That vertical leap, pulling out the jade flute and flying backwards outside of the cave was done in a flash. Hong Qigong and Ouyang Feng, seeing his wonderful skill, cheered.only to hear a “Splotch!” sound. Huang Yaoshi’s feet had landed in a hole in the ground outside the cave.
Huang Yaoshi felt his feet stepping on something wet and soft. With a light kick once again his body flew up. While he was still in the air he saw Hong Qigong and the rest had arrived and they did not fall into any traps. He landed gently at his daughter’s side. Suddenly a foul stench attacked his nostrils; he looked down and, to his dismay, he saw his feet were covered with faeces.
Everyone was puzzled. With his high level of martial arts skill, plus his intelligence, how could Huang Yaoshi fall into someone’s trap?
Huang Yaoshi was furious; he took a tree branch to test the ground, poking to the east and striking to the west. To his surprise, only those three holes were there, the rest was solid ground.
Obviously Zhou Botong
had expected him to come rushing into the cave, so he’d prepared the first hole. He had carefully calculated that with his level of lightness kungfu Huang Yaoshi would leap up vertically to avoid falling into that hole; therefore, he prepared the second hole. Again, he knew that this second hole would not trap Huang Yaoshi. So he cleverly placed the third hole, knowing Huang Yaoshi would leap backwards out of the cave, and filled this hole with faeces.
Huang Yaoshi carefully entered the cave, looked in all directions, and saw nothing except some clay jars and clay bowls. He vaguely noticed several lines of characters written on the cave wall.
Watching Huang Yaoshi fall into a trap, Ouyang Feng laughed inside. But now he saw Huang Yaoshi walking towards the cave wall to take a look; he thought there was a slight possibility that the’ Nine Yin Manual’ was written on that wall, so he threw caution to the wind and hurriedly went forward to take a closer look. What he saw was several characters carved with a needle which read, “Old Heretic Huang, you have broken both of my legs and imprisoned me inside this cave for fifteen years. I should have broken both of your legs to vent my anger. But after some thought I decided to let it pass. I give you this pile of faeces and a pot of stinky urine instead. Please, please ...” The characters below the ‘please’ were covered by a leaf.
Huang Yaoshi casually stretched his hand to lift the leaf up, but the leaf was tied to a string. Without thinking he pulled the string only to hear a knocking noise above him. Realizing what was
568 Eagle Shooting Hero happening Huang Yaoshi quickly jumped to the left. Right next to him Ouyang Feng was also quick; seeing Huang Yaoshi move, he jumped to the right. Who would have thought that following a series of clanking sounds, a bunch of clay jars fell from both sides? Both men were drenched in smelly urine!
Hong Qigong burst out in laughter, “How sweet! How sweet!” he shouted. Huang Yaoshi was fuming mad and shouted some curse words. Ouyang Feng was very good at concealing his feelings, so he merely smiled.
Huang Rong dashed back to the house and brought a change of clothes for her father. She also brought one of her father’s robes for Ouyang Feng.
Huang Yaoshi decided to look inside the cave one more time, being very careful not to trip on any more booby-traps. He took down the leaf and saw two lines of very fine characters, “... don’t pull the leaf. There is smelly urine above to drench you. This is the absolute, one hundred percent, truth! Don’t ever say that I didn’t warn you.”
Huang Yaoshi was angry, but also amused. Suddenly he remembered that the urine was still a little bit warm; he turned and walked out the cave. “The Old Urchin did not leave too long ago; we can still catch up with him.”
Guo Jing was wary, “As soon as those two see each other they will certainly engage in a fierce battle,” he thought. But before he had a chance to voice his opinion Huang Yaoshi had already flown to the east.
Everybody knew the pathways of the island were mysterious and nobody dared to be left behind; so they followed closely. Not too far ahead they could see Zhou Botong leisurely strolling along. Huang Yaoshi exerted his strength to his feet and flew like an arrow leaving its bow and in a flash he approached Zhou Botong. He stretched out his hand to grab Zhou Botong’s neck.
Zhou Botong evaded to the left. Turning his body around, he called out, “Wow! It’s the sweet smelling Old Heretic Huang!”
In this one grab Huang Yaoshi had used the skill he’d painstakingly trained for decades; it was swift and fierce. He was angry because of the urine and dung, so he’d used one hundred percent of his strength in that one attack. Who would have thought that Zhou Botong was able to evade his attack casually, as though it took not too much effort at all. Huang Yaoshi’s heart turned cold and he stopped his attack. He calmed himself and looked at Zhou Botong. To his surprise Zhou Botong’s hands were tied in front of his chest; but he was smiling happily and his face showed contentment.
Guo Jing rushed forward and said, “Big Brother, Island Master Huang has become my father-in-law; now we belong to the same family.”
Zhou Botong sighed, “What Father-in-law? Why didn’t you listen to me? Old Heretic Huang is wicked and weird; how can his daughter be any better? You will suffer the consequences for the rest of your life. Good Brother, let me tell you this: No matter what happens, you cannot take as your wife the daughter of someone who loves to drench himself in urine everyday. It’s a good thing you haven’t yet bowed to heaven and the earth to marry her; you can still slip away. Quickly, run away as far as you can, otherwise she’ll come looking for you ...”
He was still babbling when Huang Rong stepped forward and smiled, “Big Brother Zhou, look who’s coming behind you?”
Zhou Botong turned his head, but of course he did not see anyone. Huang Rong raised her father’s smelly clothes and threw them towards his back. Zhou Botong heard the swishing sound and stepped sideways. “Splat!” the bundle of clothes fell to the ground dispersing its foul odor everywhere.
Zhou Botong doubled up with laughter. “Old Heretic Huang,” he said, “Even though you imprisoned me for fifteen years and broke both of my legs, I only let you to step in my faeces and drenched you with my urine. Don’t you think that is a fair trade?”
Huang Yaoshi pondered for a moment and felt Zhou Botong was right. He did not give it another thought and asked, “Why did you tie up your hands like that?”
“I have my reasons, which I can’t tell you,” Zhou Botong said, repeatedly shaking his head and looking solemn.
Actually when Zhou Botong was forced to endure suffering in that hole, he thought several times of coming out and fighting Huang Yaoshi. However, he realized that he was still not Huang Yaoshi’s match. Besides, if he got killed or heavily injured, who would defend the ‘Nine Yin Manual’ entrusted to him by his martial brother? Therefore, he had to swallow his pride and endure everything patiently. Then Guo Jing came onto the scene. Together they played four-hand mutual combat until one day he had the idea of fighting as two Zhou Botongs against one Huang Yaoshi. He was confident that no matter how high Huang Yaoshi’s skills were, he would be able to exact revenge for his fifteen years of suffering.
After Guo Jing left, he sat on the ground and all kinds of memories came flooding back to his mind: dozens of years of gratitude, grudges, love and hate came until he felt like a thick curtain was covering his mind. Suddenly he heard from the distance the flute, zither and whistle sounds battling each other. His spirits were stirred; he became agitated, wanted to dash out, and had difficulty controlling his emotions. He had been pondering his own set of questions for a while, “My little brother’s martial arts are still far below mine, but why is it that Old Heretic Huang’s flute sound did not affect him at all?” After he’d befriended Guo Jing for many days he started to understand Guo Jing’s personality. That day, after thinking deeply for a while, it suddenly dawned on him; “That’s right! That’s right!” he exclaimed, “He is young, does not understand the relationship between a man and a woman and does not know its pleasures and heartaches. Moreover, he is simple-minded, not ambitious, has a naive personality and a pure heart. I, on the other hand, am old; but why do I still think about revenge? I am so narrow-minded. It really is ridiculous!”
Although he belonged to the Quanzhen Sect, he had never become a Taoist Priest; still, the Taoist principles were deeply ingrained in his heart: ‘peace and tranquility’ [qing jing wu wei], lead a simple life and suppress ambition, all those Taoist teachings. It was like a light bulb suddenly turned on in his head. He let out a long breath, stood up and walked outside of the cave. For the first time in many years he realized that the sky was so blue and the clouds so white. His heart became clear and bright. The suffering he experienced from Huang Yaoshi for the past fifteen years simply became a small matter in his mind.
Once outside he thought aloud, “Once I leave Peach Blossom Island I am not coming back. But if I don’t leave some souvenirs for the Old Heretic Huang, how will he remember me in the days to come?” Therefore, w
ith much eagerness, he dug some holes and filled them with his faeces and found some jars and filled them with his urine. After working hard for half a day he finally left the cave.
He’d only walked several steps when he suddenly remembered something, “The pathways of Peach Blossom Island are strange, so how will I know the right path to take? If I leave Brother Guo on this island, chances are that more harm will come his way; I must take him with me. If the Old Heretic Huang tries to stop, ha . ha . , should the Old Heretic Huang want to fight, one Old Heretic Huang won’t be a match for two Old Urchins!” After thinking about that he casually swung his hand and ‘Crack!’ a small tree by the pathway broke in two. He was stunned! “How come I am so strong? This has nothing to do with the ‘Mutual Hands Combat’ technique.”
He swung his hand several more times and ‘Crack! Crack! Crack!’ without too much effort he broke seven or eight small trees along the way. He was horrified. “This ... this is the energy cultivation from the ‘Nine Yin Manual’. I .. .when.. .when did I learn it?” All of a sudden his body was drenched in a cold sweat. “Strange, really strange!” he muttered.
He clearly remembered his late martial brother’s death wish; that no one from Quanzhen was allowed to learn anything from the manual. He hadn’t thought that in order to teach Guo Jing he had to recite the text to him everyday and used his hands to provide a clearer explanation; unexpectedly, the manual had become ingrained in his mind. Even in his sleep he would dream about the manual, so he subconsciously cultivated his energy based on the text. Since his martial arts were already high, his understanding of martial arts theory was also profound. Because the ‘Nine Yin Manual’ was based on Taoist principles which he had already learned, the manual became intertwined with his own basic knowledge. He did not wish to learn these martial arts, but it came to him anyway.